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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 8, 2020

Greensboro, North Carolina

NC State - 71, Florida State - 66

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon and welcome to the 2020 ACC women's basketball tournament championship game postgame press conference. We are joined today by NC State head coach Wes Moore and student-athletes, Aislinn Konig and Elissa Cunane. Coach?

WES MOORE: Obviously I couldn't be prouder of this group. We have come a long way in the last couple of years and these two have played a really, really big role in that. Happy for Ais as a senior came in here all the way from the west coast. As I mentioned earlier I can remember the night she committed about 10:00 at night and the I had to run to the store and get a big steak and grilled out at about 11:00 at night because I knew it was going to be special and definitely didn't disappointment.

Elissa, for her to be here in her hometown and for this to happen is obviously special. Obviously Elissa is the one who opens things up for people on the perimeter and Ais was 1 for 6 at halftime and a lot of players would have shied away in this stage in the second half. Kid's got a lot of confidence.

Really happy for them. Florida State, great team, excited to see what they do in the NCAA tournament. They got a lot of talent over there and Sue does a great job. We're very excited to go out like this in the ACC this year and head into the NCAAs with momentum.

Q. Coach, you used the word momentum, you guys have won five in a row, what's peaking at the right time for the team?
WES MOORE: A few weeks ago they thought we had peaked in January or something. Again, I feel like right now we got a good mojo about the team. We've got a lot of people that are playing and contributing, and I think that helps to keep everybody engage and had winning doesn't hurt. We saw the ball go through the net a little bit against Syracuse and Virginia the last two games and I think that helped us now to get our confidence going. So I think we're playing with confidence, and I think we're having fun.

They enjoy being around each other and that makes all the difference in the world. I feel, like I said, feel good about where we're at right now. Hopefully we can keep it going.

Q. Ais, yesterday after the game you said you didn't want to start celebrating or thinking about when this all means until it's all done. What does it mean and what is it like?
AISLINN KONIG: I mean, there is no words to describe the type of feeling that the whole team has right now. This was a family that came together and really bought in and played together throughout this whole tournament and through the ups and downs through the season. Being able to celebrate that with them and the coaching staff and the amazing fans who filled up this arena for us is super special. To be part of this legacy of NC State that has had so many contributors from before us and will guarantee to have after us, it's amazing to be part of that.

Q. Coach, your two freshman both scored in double digits today. How important is that?
WES MOORE: It's real exciting. Both of them were ACC all freshmen team members. Jada Boyd brings so much energy when she comes out there, so athletic, makes plays for us, Jakia, what a day she had today. Definitely didn't play like a freshman. She didn't play like a freshman this whole tournament. It's awesome to see somebody step up like that in this environment their first year. It's exciting to think you have those two freshman and Elissa sitting over here who is a sophomore. That's a good nucleus. We're graduating a lot of guards so we have work to do there. But it's exciting to think about having such a good core back.

Q. Elissa, NC State had two steals today, you had both of them. You had three fouls on you at the time. The first led to Ais's tying basket and the second led to your free throw that put you ahead to stay. What was going through your mind? You've got three fouls on you at that point. Can you describe both steals?
ELISSA CUNANE: I kind of remember them, but you get five fouls for a reason. There is only a little bit of time left in the game, I'm not going to shy away fro playing defense. Kiah was a great scorer so I knew to keep my hand up and keep pressure on them. I was just fortunate to get those and not fouls.

Q. Wes, Kay Yow is the beacon at NC State. You have now joined her. What does it mean to do it with The Wolfpack?
WES MOORE: First of all, I want to make sure we understand the players do this, okay? The plays they make, the shots they make, how much they lay it on the line out there every day, so I definitely understand my place.

But as far as Coach Yow, having worked for her a couple of years, walking out on her court in Reynolds Coliseum, seeing the banner up top that she put up there, it's been a long time. So for Coach Yow's legacy and the NC State tradition she built, this is pretty awesome.

For our fans, you know, we sold out three or four of our last games. I know we lost three home games that were sellouts, okay? So I was so happy that we have a full house over here today and we're able to send 'em home happy and knowing that NC State is a champ. So just really special. Coach Yow, again, she is the one that put this program on the map and we're just trying to, you know, take care of what she left.

Q. Ais, you were able to create some good looking shots in the first half but went 1 of 6 in the first half. Shots weren't falling and you went in the locker room and came out and went 3 for 3 from behind the arc. What was going through your mind at halftime and how do you have that ice in your veins for these big moments?
AISLINN KONIG: I'm surrounded by a coaching staff who has ultimate confidence in my shooting ability, so that's not a big factor going in I knew I was going to get other looks and I have teammates who aren't afraid to give me the ball. I was able to hit those shots but their confidence in me and willingness to trust me is a big part of that success.

Q. I don't know if you're familiar with the term "NC State stuff." You probably hear it a lot. How does it feel to break that stigma of actually bringing a major title back to campus?
AISLINN KONIG: I don't think that's ever applied to us. You know, we have had a lot of success over at least my four years here and I'm hoping that we can continue on that and we have a lot of fantastic teams at NC State. As long as you're willing to support them and have confidence in them they're going to show up for you.

Q. Elissa, a year ago before this tournament I think you talked to you and you said as a little girl you would come here and watch a tournament. Now you're playing it in your hometown. Can you describe what it's like to win a championship in your hometown after watching the tournament growing up all those years?
ELISSA CUNANE: It feels unreal right now. I remember as a kid when the champions would be crowned I would see the balloons and the confetti growing up, and I said mom, I want a balloon and she said no, you can't get one. So I went down today and grabbed as many as I could! I have one in my locker. But it's amazing to be on this stage and surrounded by all my best friends. It means a lot to us.

Q. Elissa, in the second quarter with 1:33 to go you had a traveling call on you where it looks like there was physical play. You made the layup and you wanted the "and one" and so did the crowd. On the following possession you had a big rejection on the other end on the defensive stop and you put up points to pull within one at halftime was that the spark that led to the 12 second half points? Did that flip a switch in you?
ELISSA CUNANE: I think I got my momentum going and I was trying to focus on the next play. They're going to be a very physical team, DI is a physical league. So I had to keep playing through it.

Q. Can you talk about the crowd and how it impacted the game or impacted the way you played?
WES MOORE: Again, they make all the difference in the world. Felt like a home game, to be honest with you, but they were here pretty much all week, but especially today.

Like I said, I know what was meant by the question a minute ago. It's been a while since we've won one. So for our fans it means the world to me for us to win a championship for them. Obviously the players, the staff, everyone involved in it day-to-day, but also for them, year after year after year being there for us.

We got a lot of momentum going there, our season ticket sales have multiplied by about seven times. We're selling out some games. So those fans are making it special for this program and sure makes our job easier as we try to build something special.

Q. Coach, after the first win you said if Elissa has more assists than turnovers, you would let her run point, she went 2 for 2 today.
WES MOORE: We will get her all the threes we can get her. I have ultimate confidence in her ability to knock down threes, point guard I go by the season stats not day-by-day. So if her season stats get above there, we might be talking. Again, I love the way she has developed her three-point shot and y'all, we're running stuff to try to get her threes.

I never thought I would do that, you got a 6'5" kid you want them on the block, all the time, but she has gotten pretty good at it, so we will let her roam around out there but we'll leave the ball be handling to others.

AISLINN KONIG: Are you going to add those steals to the season stats?

WES MOORE: Yeah, we'll add 'em.

Q. Do you feel a responsibility to represent your country when you run with the Wolfpack? If you could speak to Canadian girls what would you say to them?
AISLINN KONIG: To answer the first part of the that question I think I represent Canada in who I am, that's always with me. My entire family is there. It's my home. I play for the national team, so that's something that I don't think about but I try and emulate in my life.

And then to speak to those girls, it might seem like it's impossible, and it might seem really hard but as long as you keep working and you are willing to do the things that other people are not willing to do and whether that's getting extra shots up or running in the rain, whatever you have to do, there is a chance that you get to be up here like this and celebrating. On top of the world.

WES MOORE: And if they're really, really talented we want them to emulate her and come to NC State, so, yes, it's possible.

Q. Wes, Florida State came in shooting 46%. I think they were the highest shooting team percentagewise for the tournament. You held them 12 percentage points below that today. Looking at the first game and this game were there any defensive adjustments you made and how were you able to do that?
WES MOORE: Well, again, we just try to take away strengths. It's nothing too fancy. We adjust how we play pick on the ball some, things like that. But mostly it's these kids focused on what they have to take away and doing a great job of helping each other. We obviously, at our place I felt like they struggled to shoot it a little bit. Today they were knocking down shots I felt like, especially in the early going. It came crunch time we were able to get some stops. I'm proud of defense and rebounding, that's what wins these things. I grew up -- not grew up, but I started out coaching in the shadows of Pat Summitt, and they know I tell them all the time offense sells tickets, defense wins games and rebounding wins championships.

THE MODERATOR: Coach, ladies, thanks and best of luck in the postseason.

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